Works 1608-1631 / Capt. John Smith ; edited by Edward Arber.

  • John Smith
Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Works 1608-1631 / Capt. John Smith ; edited by Edward Arber. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    1107/1144 (page 957)
    the mother of fooles, which indeed is the very ground of reason ; and he that contemnes her in those actions, may finde occasion enough to use all the wit and wisdome hee hath to correct his owne folly, that thinkes to finde amongst those salvages such Churches, Palaces, Monuments, and Buildings as are in England. C PI AFTER XIV. Peek sia St kail government in Virginia, authority fro7n the Arch Bishop.^ their beghi7ting at Bastable now called Salem. Ow because I have spoke so much for the body, give me leave to say somewhat of the soule; and the rather because I have beene demanded by so many, how we beganne to preach the Gospell in Virginia, and by what authority; what Churches we had, our order of service, and maintenance for our ! Ministers; therefore I thinke it not amisse to satisfie their . demands, it being the mother of all our Plantations, intreat- ing pride to spare laughter, to understand her simple : beginning and proceedings. When I went first to Virginia, I well remember wee did hang an awning (which is an old saile) to three orfoure trees to shadow us from the Sunne, our walles were rales of wood, our seats unhewed trees till we cut plankes, our ! Pulpit a bar of wood nailed to two neighbouring trees. In ■ foule weather we shifted into an old rotten tent; for we had few better, and this came by the way of adventure for new. I This was our Church, till wee built a homely thing like a [ barne, set upon Cratchets, covered with rafts, sedge, and E earth; so was also the walls: the best of our houses [were] of the like curiosity; but the most part farre much worse workmanship, that could neither well defend [from] wind t nor raine. Yet wee had daily Common Prayer morning and evening, every Sunday two Sermons, and every three moneths the [1630] Ecclesiast!- chU gen'ent.- mint in Virginia.